Kazandibi

Preparing the Custard

1. In a mortar and pestle add 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and the mastic, and crush them well. Set it aside.
2. Place ¾ of the milk, cream and sugar in a pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
3. Mix the rest of the milk with cornflour and starch in a bowl and turn it into a slurry. 
4. Add the slurry into boiling milk and stir continuously to avoid it clumping until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. 
5. Remove the pan from the heat, add the mastic (or vanilla paste) along with the butter, and whisk.

Caramelising the Custard

1. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of sugar to cover the bottom of a heatproof glass tray or metal pan. I used a tray the size of 30 cm x 21 cm (12" x 8") but you can use a smaller size if you want your pudding thicker. 
2. Spread ¼ of the pudding over the sugar, place the tray over high heat and rotate it continuously so all the areas are exposed to the heat evenly.
3. Cook it for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sugar is caramelized and the bottom of the dessert becomes a rich, golden brown. You can help spread it by gently using a silicone spatula or a wooden spoon. 
4. When you've achieved the desired colour, remove the tray from the heat. Add the rest of the pudding on top of the caramelised custard.
5. Let it cool down to room temperature before refrigerating it overnight, or a minimum of 6 hours.
6. Before serving, you can either cut the Kazandibi into squares or make longer strips and roll them gently as you put them on the serving plate.
7. Garnish with cinnamon powder or nuts for extra flavour!